Revolving door



Dec; 22, 1931. J. w. EKRE ET AL I 1,837,258

REVOLVING DOOR Filed Au fze, 1928 s Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VENTORS ZMMM HTrcJR/VEY Dec. 22, 1931.

J. w. EKRE ET AL 1,337,258

REVOLVING DOOR Filed Aug; 29, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 J'HcK W. EKRE 9- SHMUEL EJDIME.

INYENTORS BY Hvromwsy Patented Dec. 22, 1931 UNITED srmrfis "JACK EKRE) =.-SAMUEL- E DIMEpOF MINNEAPOLISJMINN-E SQTA REVOLVING- I- DO OR Application fi1ed*August29, 192 8. Serial No. eoasoa This invention relateslito certain improvements in revolvingdoors;-and" the nature and objects of the i-nventionwill be readily recognized and understood by those skilled in the art in the light ofthefollowingexplanation and detailed description of the accompanying drawings il lustr'atingwvhat I now believe to be the preferred embodiments or mechanical-expressions ofthe invention from among various Other forma arrangements, combinations and constructions of which the invention -is capable within the spirit and scope thereof.

1 With doors of the-revolving types-considerable difiiculties are encountered in use through injuries to persons entering or leaving the same, caused by' the continued rotationor revolution of the doors after passage of a person therethrough,and-a generalobj ect of this invention isto eliminate'the foregoing difficulties by the -provision-of a-revolving door with which the speed of rotation is entirely under the'control of the operator or person passingitherethrough, and

which is so constructed and arranged .that it will quickly cease ;to rotate or :revolve and come to rest after a person has passed therethrough and left the-door, .thus permitting the next. person to enter with the door at rest. r

A further object-.ofthe invention isito provide an arrangement and construction of revolving door which normally isheldagainst rotation by suitablebraking mechanism, but which is provided with release mechanism operable by a person; passing through-the door for releasing the braking mechanism to permit the door beingrotated ata rate: or speed controlled and as may be desired 'byithe person revolving thesame and passing therethrough.

A further object. of the invention'is to provide aneflicientbraking and speed controlling mechanism for doorsof: theirevolving type, together with-mechanism for applying and releasing such jmechanismz whichis under thecontrol-eta person revolving and passing throu'ghithe door.

Another object of the-invention :is' toprovide. a mounting. and supporting bearing raron the'lines 1-1 of Figr 3.

rangement for thelower end of a'revolving "door structure, whicharrangement supports the'doorand-presents bearingsfortakingbdth thrust and radial forces, so that the door'is rigidly but freely rotatably mounted and capable ofbeing easily revolved with a minimum-of force or pressure applied thereto.

A further object of theinventiomis to provide mechanically simple and efficiently operating mechanism for a revolving door in ee order to carry out the'foregoing general ob- "JGClJS,

WVlth the foregoing ob-jects, and certain other Ob ectsand results iii-view which will be readily recognized from the'following-ex- "t5 -.planation,. the invention consists in certain novel features in construction and-incombination and arrangement of parts,as will be more-fully and particularly referred to and 4 specified: herinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings -in which similar reference characters refer :to corresponding parts throughout the several figures.

Fig: l -is aview in elevation of a -doorembodying the invention in mounted-operative PPSltlOIlyWltll a portion thereof removed to 'disclose a vertical section therethrough taken "Fig. 2 is-an enlarged vertical section "'t-hrough t-he mounting of the lowenend :e'f thedoor upon which the same revolvesyand -'showing the arrangementand construction of bearings therefor.

-'Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section 585 -Fig;:5, showing particularly- :the Tmannerwof mounting :thev brake disks or rings.

Fig. 7 is a detail viewin-en'd elevatiomof r.

the operating bar and lever shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section through the central column, showing the doors mounted thereon, taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 5.

A possible form and construction of revolving door embodying the several features of the invention is disclosed in Fig. 1 of the drawings as installed and mounted in oper ative position within the usual or any desired revolving door casing, which in the present example embodies the opposite side curved or arcuate casing walls C, the casing top wall or ceiling T and the floor or other supportingsurface F. The revolving door .is mounted disposed in the usual manner between side walls C for rotation around and on a vertical axis centrally of said walls and extending between the floor F and the ceiling T, as will be readily understood by those familiar with these general types of doors.

According to the invention a central rotating shaft or column 3 is provided mounted and supported at its lower end on and from floor F and extending upwardly to and mounted at its upper end on or in the ceiling T. This rotating central column comprises two tubes or sections 3a and 36 secured together at their adjacent ends in longitudinal alinement by means of the housing or casing 30 forming a coupling and connection between these tubes or sections of column 3, as will be clear by reference to Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings in particular. Flanged collars 3c and 3d are rigidly fixed over and secured to the upper and lower ends of column 3, respectively, and each of these collars is provided with the vertical bores 3f and 3g through the flange thereof at opposite sides of the column 3 to receive and form alined upper and lower bearings at opposite sides of the column. These upper and lower collars 30 and 3d are also provided at opposite sides from that of the bearings 3f and 39 with pairs of spaced laterally projecting plates or fins 37L and Opposite doors 1 and 2 are provided with the upper and lower vertically disposed alined pivots 1a and 2a, respectively, adjacent their inner edges, which fit into and are pivotally received by the spaced vertically alined bearings 3f and 3g, so that the doors 1 and 2 are pivotally mounted for horizontal swinging on column 3. Opposite doors 4 and 5 are received in the spaced upper and lower plates 3h and 32' and are thereby secured and fixed in rigid position extending from the column 3 at substan-. tially right angles to the doors 1 and 2. The doors 1 and 2 are pivotally mounted to permit of their being folded or swung into positions against and substantially parallel with the doors 4 and 5 so that the passage closed by the doors in normally extended operative position is open for uninterrupted passage therethrough, with the doors 1 and 2 swung to folded positions.

The rotatable mounting of the lower end of column 3 on floor F is carried out in the present instance by providing a plug or block 9 accurately and rigidly fitted within the lower end of tube 3?) of column 3, which plug 9 has an enlarged radial flange 9a fitted against the lower end edge of tube 3?), and which plug is also formed with the reduced diameter axially alined portions 9?) and 90 extending and depending downwardly therefrom. A thrust bearing 10 of the ball type in the present instance, is mounted on and around the reduced portion 96 of plug 9, and a radial bearing 11 also of the ball type is mounted on and around the reduced portion 90 and is confined thereon against the shoulder 9d by means of the nut 12 secured and locked on the lower end of plug 9. A thimble or cup like member 13 is secured and mounted on the floor F and receives the radial bearing 11 of column 3 within the cylindricalbore 13?) thereof, into which bore the bearing 11 accurately fits and bears against to carry radial forces and prevent lateral or radial movements of column 3. The thrust bearing 10 is received and fits into the upper end of cup 13 and fits and is supported on a shoulder 13a formed around the upper end of bore 136. The bearings 10 and 11 thus carry and support the column 3 and the doors 1, 2, 4.- and 5 thereon, for rotation on and around cup member 13, with the lower collar 3d of column 3 fitting over and around, and spaced a slight distance from the exterior wall of cup member 13. The thrust bearing 10 supports the column and doors, and the radial bearing 11 cares for radial forces and maintains the column in the desired vertical and rigid position.

The upper end of the column 3 is provided with a bushing 6 accurately and rigidly fitted and secured within the upper end of the tube 3a of column 3 and this bushing is provided with an upwardly extending annular projection 66, and further provided with an axial bore 60/. extending through the bushing and the annular projection 66. An actuating shaft 7 extends downwardly through the bore 6a in bushing 6 and bushing projection 67) for sliding movement or reciprocation there through, but keyed or otherwise mounted to bushing 6 and projection 6?) for rotation therewith, and this shaft 7 extends clownwardly through the column into and is slid ably received in a bearing 3y' formed at the lower end of housing 36.

A brake case 8 is secured to the ceiling or upper wall T of the door casing above surrounding and axially alined with actuating shaft 7 and the column 3. This brake case 8 is formed with a depending sleeve forming an axial bore 8a therethrough into which the projection 61) of column bushing 6 extends and fits, with the shaft 7 extending upwardly therethrough and thereabove. A drum 15 is mounted slidably on the upper end of shaft 7 i' for rotation therewitlnw as'by keying the same to the shaft, and is disposed within the brake case 8. A compression disk -16.is secured or keyed. onto the shaft 7 i above drum l5 and. is longitudinally zadjustably fixechonto. the upper end. of this shaft by means of nut 17 and the lock nut: 18 on .the outer end of the shaft.

:The braking :mechanism includes a multiplicity of thin 'metal rings or disks 14 arranged ina horizontal plane one above the other within the brake case 8 and alternate ringsior 'disksare secured to the brake case 8against rotationby means of the projections 14a ont'he disks'and the recesses 85 in the case 8. The remaining or alternate disks are securedfor rotationwith thedrum 15by means of the projections 15a on such disks projecting into-recesses 15b in the drum 15, as clearly shownby Fig. 6 of the drawings, when taken in connectionwith Fig; 5. The arrangement 'isksuch that when the 'shaft 7 is drawn or moved downwardly it carries compression disk 16 downwardly into the brake case'8 between the outer wall of case 8 and the drum 15, onto'and forcing the brake rings or disks 14 together binding or locking the shaft against rotation, and when shaft 7 is raised or moved upwardly the disks'14 expand or separate to release shaft 7-for rotation.

A spring compressing collar 19 isfixed to the shaft 7 within column 3 spaced inwardly a distance from the bushing 6 and a compression spring 20 is mounted around shaft 7 between collar 19 and the inner end of bushing 6. This mounting and arrangement of spring 20 is shown particularly by Fig.- 5 with the spring inits compressed positi'omithat is with the shaft raised and the brake rings ordisks 14 in their expanded, separated or non-braking and non-locking position.

The shaft 7 at that portion within casing 3e between the column sections 3a and 3b is formed with rack teeth 7 a therearound.

' This casing is also provided with the spaced hearings 37c extending laterally therefrom tangentially with respect to shaft 7 and each having rotatably mounted'therein and extending therethrough the horizontally disposed shafts 21 which at their-inner ends are provided with the pinions 22fixed thereon in mesh .with the rack teeth 7 a of shaft 7 at diametrically opposite sides of. this shaft, as clearly shown by Figs- 3 and 4 of the drawings. The bearings 3k, and the shafts 21 mounted therein extend outwardly along the sides of the doors, respectively, mounted on the column 3, and each sh aft 21 is secured at its outer endyto a lever 23 which depends therefrom. Each lever 23 is formed at its outer lower end with a bifurcated or forked portion 23a.

Each of the doors-1, 2, 4-and 5 is provided with the horizontally spaced brackets 26 se- -.cured on asideethe'reofand having the alined bearings 26w. at their upper ends which are ialined with the bearings 37av and shafts 21 respectively, carried by the column 3. A shaft 25 is mounted extending-between each paircfldoor brackets 26 and is rotatably 5 arrangement therefore oscillation of a shaft 25 will swing its lever 24, which in turn swings lever 23 and rot-ates ashaft 21 to cause raising or lowering of the brake mechanism operating shaft 7 111 column 3, through apinion 22in mesh with shaft 7 rack teeth 7 a.

Manual operatinghandles orbars 27 are secured at their opposite ends between'a bar of levers 28 which are fixed to shaft 25 between brackets 26. The compression spring 20 normally forces shaft 7 downwardly tomaintain compression disks 16 in position rendering the brake mechanism operative to hold column 3against rotation. This normal downward retention of shaft 7 causes a rotation and resulting position of shaft 21.

levers 23 and 24 with shaft 25 to swing out- .wardlyi from each door. Hence, it'follows that by forcing or pressing a bar 27'inwardly toward its door, the shaft 21 will be rotated and through pinion 22 in mesh with the rack i teeth 7 aon shaft 7, this shaft will be raised against the tension of spring 20 to elevate or raise the brake mechanism compression disk -16-and expand the brake disks or rings 14 into position disengaged and permitting free rotation of column 3 with the doors thereon, by pressure exerted on the doors through a bar '27 bya person wishing to revolve the doors to pass therethrough. By controlling the extent of pressure on a bar 27, the degree or extent of braking action on shaft7 can be determined and the rate of rotation of shaft 7 with doors 1, 2, 4 and 5 controlled.

he invention provides a further feature in that the swinging doors 1 and 2, can be swung or opened to their operative and inoperative positions, and the actuating handle bars with their shafts 25 and crank levers 24 disconnected and connected with the levers 23 and shafts 21, by the act of swinging these doors, through the provision of the slotted end levers 23 which permit the crank arms 24a to swing outwardly and downwardly therefrom when the doors are folded or swung to inoperative positions and to swing freely back" 'thereinto and coupled therewith when the doors: are swung outwardly or unfolded into operative position.

In order to lock and secure the folding doors 1 and 2Vinto extended operativeuposi tion on column 8 with respect to the fixed doors 4: and 5, the invention provides a series of link members 30 detachably coupled between the doors adjacent their inner edges, as clearly shown by Figs. 1 and 8 of the drawings.

The revolving door above described and embodying the features of the invention, is thus normally maintained and held against rotation by the brake mechanism at the upper end thereof, which is maintained in operative braking position by the compression spring 20 drawing and forcing shaft 7 downwardly to cause operation of the brake mechanism by the pressure of the brake compression disk 16. Now when a person desires to revolve the doors and pass through the opening closed thereby he presses upon and against one of the levers or bars 27 to rotate shaft 21 which is coupled therewith and through pinion 22 and rack teeth 7a, raises shaft 7 against spring 20 to release the brake mechanism and permit free or controlled rotation or revolution of the doors with column 3. The speed of rotation or revolution of the doors and their carrying column 3 can be controlled and determined by the person operating the same through the degree or extent of pressure and resulting elevation of shaft 7, which he places on the handle bar 27, as will be readily apparent from the drawings in connection with the foregoing description. The lower bearing mounting and arrangement for column 8 insures a rigid but readily rotatable column for and carrying the doors, yet which is mechanically simple and efficient in operation under the varying conditions of use.

It is evident that various changes, modifications, variations, and substitutions might be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence we do not desire to limit ourselves in all particulars to the exact and specific disclosures hereof.

What we claim, is

1. In a door of the revolving type, a rotatably mounted vertical column, doors mounted thereon for rotation therewith, friction brake mechanism operatively engaged with and for arresting rotation of said column, spring means normally rendering said brake mechanism operative to engage and hold the column against rotation, and means for releasing said brake mechanism against said spring means to permit free rotation of the column and doors.

- 2. In a door of the revolving type, a rotatably mounted vertical column, doors iounted thereon for rotation therewith, brake mechanism operatively engaged with and for arresting rotation of said column, spring means normally rendering said brake mechanism operative to engage and maintain the column against rotation, and means operable from said doors by pressure for releasing said brake mechanism against said spring means to permit rotation of the column, said spring means rendering the brake mechanism operative to stop rotation of the column upon re moval of pressure from said pressure operated means.

3. In a door of the revolving type, a rotatably mounted vertical column, doors mounted thereon for rotation therewith, brake mechanism mounted at the upper end of said column for arresting and controlling rotation thereof, an actuating shaft on the column for said brake mechanism, a spring normally operating said shaft to apply said brake mechanism to the column, and manually operated mechanism carried by said doors for operating said brake actuating shaft against the action of said spring to release the brake mechanism and permit rotation of the column and doors.

4. In a door of the revolving type, a rotatably mounted vertical column, doors mounted thereon extending radially therefrom for rotation therewith, an actuating shaft mounted extending upwardly through and above the upper end of said column for reciprocation therein, brake mechanism at the upper end of said column for application thereto to arrest and control rotation of the column, said actuating shaft operatively coupled to said brake mechanism for applying and releasing the same, a spring normally maintaining said shaft in position applying the brake mechanism, and door carried manually operable means for moving said shaft against said spring to release the brake mechanism and permit rotation of the column and doors.

5. In a door of the revolving type, a rotatably mounted vertical column, doors mounted on said column extending radially therefrom for rotation therewith, a shaft axially mounted in said column extending outwardly through the upper end thereof for reciprocation in and rotation with the column, brake mechanism at the upper end of the column for application thereto to arrest rotation of the column, said shaft operatively coupled with said brake mechanism for applying and releasing the same by reciprocating the shaft, a spring acting on said shaft to normally force the same to position applying said brake mechanism, said shaft formed with rack teetii thereon within the column below the upper end thereof, shafts disposed transversely of the column at opposite sides of said shaft, a pinion on each transverse shaft in mesh with the rack teeth on said brake operating shaft, and manually controlled mechanism carried by each door and operatively connected with said transverse shafts, re spectively, for selective operation to move said axial shaft against said spring to release said brake mechanismcand permit rotation.

extending, radially: from said column, one

pair of said doors fixed and the other pair pivotally mounted for folding to positionalongand substantially parallel with the other doors, respectively, brake mechanism for arresting rotationof said column and doors, brake actuating mechanism for applyingand releasingsaid brake mechanism and manually operated mechanism carried by each: door andconnected with said brake actuating mechanism for operating: the same to apply-and release the brake mechanism, the manually operable mechanism carried by the pivoted 'doors separably connected with said brake actuating mechanism to permit swinging of said doors to and from folded positions.

7. In a door of the revolving type, a rotatably mounted vertical column, doors carried by said column for rotation therewith, brake mechanism at the upper end of said column for arresting rotation thereof, a brake actuating shaft extending upwardly through the column and connected with said brake mechanism for applying and releasing the same, shafts extending transversely through said column disposed tangentially of said actuating shaft at diametrically opposite sides thereof, a pinion on each of said tangential shafts, the actuating shaft formed with rack teeth in mesh with said pinions, and manually operated mechanism carried by each door operatively connected with said tangential shafts, respectively, for manual operation to rotate said tangential shafts and cause operation of said actuating shaft to apply and release said brake mechanism.

8. In a door of the revolving type, a rotatably mounted vertical column, diam'etrically opposite pairs of doors carried by and extending radially from said column, brake mechanism for arresting and controlling the speed of rotation of said column, an actuating shaft reciprocally mounted in said column for rotation therewith, said shaft coupled with said brake mechanism for'applying and releasing the same, rotary shafts extending through said column disposed tangentially of said actuating shaft, pinions on the inner ends of said tangential shaft disposed at opposite side of the actuating shaft, respectively, rack teeth on the actuating shaft in mesh with said pinions, a lever on the outer end of each tangential shaft and having a forked outer end, a horizontally disposed shaft on the side of each door substantially in line with the adjacent tangential column shaft, respectively, a crank lever on each door shaft slidably engaging in the forked end of the adjacent tangential shaft lever, and an operating member on each door shaft for oscillating thesame.

9; Ina door of the revolving type,,ia rotatably mounted vertical column,, doors mounted on said column for rotation therewith, a bushing. having an axial loorefixed in theupper end of said column,la shaft recip rocally mounted extending through the-bore of said bushinginto' the column, said shaft rotatable with the bushing and column, a brake drum slidablymounted on the outer end of said shaft, a fixed brake case supported independently of the column, brake 7 discs carried by the drum, brake discs carried by the brake case, a compression discfixed onthe outerendoftheshaft for movement therewith: to and from. position forcingv said brake case and brake drum discsiintobraking; relation arresting rotation of the column; a spring normally forcing the shaft downwardlytoluringv said discs in braking relas tion, and means operable from each door for forcing the shaft. outwardly against said springto release'the brake discs and permit rotation of the column and doors.

- 10-. In a -door of therevolvingtypaa rotat-i ably mounted: vertical column',;doors mounted thereon for rotation therewith, friction brake mechanism operatively associated with said column for arresting rotation thereof, said. brake mechanism :normally operative to .en-

gage and maintain the column againstrota tion,,and means operable from said doors-to release said brake mechanism from braking engagement with said column and permit rotation of said column and doors.

11. In a doonof therevolving type, arotatablymounted vertical 7 column, doors mounted thereon, for rotation therewith, brake mechanismoperat-ively associated with said column for arresting rotation thereof, means normally rendering said brake'mechanism in operative braking engagement with and maintaining said column against rotation, and mechanism operablefrom said. doorsfor releasing-said brake mechanismfor braking engagement with the column topermit rotationtof said columnand doors. I

12. In a door of the revolving'type, 8510- tatably mounted vertical column, doors mounted thereon for rotation therewith, brakemechanism operatively associated with said, column for braking; engagement there with to arresting rotatibn thereof, a shaft on said column for operating said brakevinec hanism to apply and release'the sameto and from: braking engagement with the column,

and manually controlled mechanism carried;

by 'said doorsvfor actuating saidbrake operating shaft.

13.1.In a door of the revolving .type, a.ro.-

tatably mountedv vertical column, ddors mounted. thereon for rotation V therew1th,.

brake mechanism operatively associated with the column to arrest rotation thereof, and manually controlled means carried by said doors and operatively coupled with said brake mechanism for operating said mechanism, to release or apply the same.

14:. The combination with a revolving door, of brake mechanism operatively associated therewith for braking engagement with the door to arrest rotation thereof, means normally rendering said brake mechanism operative to arrest rotation of the door, and manually controlled mechanism carried by the door and operatively coupled with the brake mechanism for releasing the latter to permit rotation of the door, the said means applyin the brake mechanism toarrest rotation of the door upon release of the said manually controlled mechanism.

15. In a door of the revolving type, a rotatably mounted vertical column, doors mounted thereon extending radially therefrom for rotation therewith, a brake mechanism operatively associated with the column and including a brake member carried by the column for rotation therewith, said brake mechanism normally operative with said brake member in braking engagement to maintain the column against rotation, and release means for said brake mechanism including means carried by said doors and actuated by pressure applied thereto to rotate 'the doors.

16. In a door of the revolving type, a rotatably mounted vertical column, doors mounted thereon extending radially therefrom for rotation therewith, a brake mechanism operatively associated With the column adjacent one end thereof and normally in operative brake applying relation therewith to maintain the column against rotation, and release means for said brake mechanism including means carried by said doors and actuated by pressure applied thereto to rotate the doors.

17. In a door of the revolving type, a rotatably mounted vertical column, doors mounted on said column for rotation therewith, a brake mechanism operatively associated with the column and including a braklng member mounted on and carried by the column for rotation therewith, means normally holding said brake mechanism operative with the column, carried braking member in braking engagement to maintain the column against rotation, and release means for said brake mechanism carried by said doors and actuated by pressure applied thereto to rotate the doors.

18. In a door of the revolving type, a rotatably mounted vertical column, doors mounted on said column for rotation therewith, a friction brake mechanism operatively associated with said column adjacent one end thereoffor arresting rotation of the column, said friction brake mechanism including a braking member carried by and rotatable with the column and a fixed braking member adjacent said column carried member for friction braking pressure applied thereto to rotate the doors.

Signed at Minneapolis, county of Hennepin, State of Minnesota, this 9th day of August, 1928.

JACK W. EKRE. SAMUEL E, DIME.

engagement therewith, I means normally renderlng said braking 

